The Light dawns

Until this morning, I hadn't connected my love of the dawn to Christmas the dawning of the Light of the World.

My first inkling came from this morning's hymn , which had no attribution except for the man (John Brownlie, 1859-1925) who translated it from the Greek .

The King shall come when morning dawns,

And light triumphant breaks;

When beauty gilds the eastern hills,

And life to joy awakes.

O brighter than the glorious morn

Shall this fair morning be,

When Christ, our King, in beatuy comes,

And we his face shall see.

The King shall come when morning dawns,

And earth's dark night is past;

O haste the rising of the morn,

The day that aye shall last.

The King shall come when morning dawns,

And light and beauty brings:

Hail, Christ the Lord! Thy people pray,

Come quickly, King of kings.

By the time I left the house this morning, the sun was shining brightly in a clear sky. As I sat in church, I happened to choose a pew in a direct line with an upper window. Almost like a spotlight, the sun found my face! And I remembered: Jesus is the Sun of righteousness. He dawned upon the earth that first Christmas day.

Shine, O LIGHT OF THE WORLD, through your children and illuminate every darkness. Amen.